Reflection on Artifact for Standard Two

        The case study I competed for EDUC 2090 demonstrates that I have developed some of the skills to closely observe and track the development of one student in my class. I believe this shows I am approaching Standard 2: Student as Learner because it demonstrates that I have developed some of these skills but still could develop more of the skills necessary to meet this standard. This would include being able to observe all students in my classes as closely as I did my case study student.

From doing the case study I completed for EDUC 2090 I learned a lot about how to look at and investigate each student in my class—who they are, what skills they come with, what skills they need to work on. While working on this case study assignment I learned to be much more observant of students and look much more closely at student work, skills I’m sure will help me greatly as I begin to student teach and then teach on my own. I hope (and I’m sure I will) I remember to continue being as observant and as detail oriented in looking at each of my students throughout my career teaching, assessing each students location and progress on literacy skills, critical thinking and historical thinking standards.  If I am able to do this, I will be able to help each student make progress on his or her own individual goals and development.  I hope when I have a class for a whole academic year I can work on trying to get to know and understand each student as well as I was able to know and understand the student I did this case study on. 

From discussing our case studies with other students from EDUC 2090 I learned even more about what I could have looked for to understand students in my classroom. For example, when I was conducting my case study I did not look closely at my case study students body language, which may have been helpful in understanding him. Also, I realized through talking with my fellow EDUC 2090 classmates that the difficulties the student I did my case study on had may have been related to his level of confidence in the classroom or lack there of, something I hadn’t really thought about when doing my case study and focusing on the details of his literacy skills. But if part of what was holding him back from participating in both written and oral form in class was his level of confidence than the pieces connect better about why he began to open up more throughout class as our classroom became more connected, warm and welcoming.